Singing in the Dark
by FairLilyFlower
Summary: On the Pevensies' first night in Cair Paravel, Edmund is missing England ... lots of brotherly bonding.


One night at Cair Paravel, Edmund is missing England … Peter and Edmund one-shot, just a bit of brotherly bonding.

**NB: **For the purposes of this story, I'm using the movie-verse, where Peter is supposed to be fifteen or sixteen and Edmund about eleven.

**Disclaimer: **Everything is the story belongs to C S Lewis; I'm just borrowing them, and am not making a single penny!

The coronation celebrations had lasted the entire night. Only now, when the merest line of sky touching the sea was beginning to fade from black to grey, were most of the Narnians either heading for home or searching for a place to sleep within Cair Paravel. Of the new Kings and Queens themselves, only Peter was still awake, making farewells on behalf of himself and his siblings or conveying tired courtiers to bedrooms or rooms full of couches and cushions where they could rest for what remained of the hours of darkness.

Lucy had managed to stay awake till just after midnight, at which point Peter and Susan had carried her up to her new bedchamber in one of the high towers; a lovely affair with woven tapestries lining the walls, a balcony that overlooked the sea, and a bed carved from some honey-brown wood with nymphs and dryads weaving their way around the four posts that supported the silk canopy. Once there Susan had put her little sister to bed, and had been so enchanted with the chamber she had run to find her own, and discovered an equally beautiful room waiting for her just across the spacious hallway. Peter had lingered to kiss Lucy goodnight, and when he went to find Susan he found her curled up in her own four-poster bed, fast asleep with a radiant smile still on her face.

He had returned to the revelry then, and had watched and laughed with Edmund as the Fauns, made merry by some potent wine, had danced ever more wildly as the night wore on. Edmund, excited about staying up as long as he wanted, had lasted another two hours before dozing off despite the sweet, lively music of the Fauns' flutes and the Satyrs' drums, so Peter, with the help of Mr.Tumnus, had carried him up to bed as well.

Now, with dawn fast approaching, Peter was performing his final farewells and had just shown Mr.Tumnus to a comfortable little bedroom, when he decided against going to bed himself. He was still far too animated to sleep now, and he had too much to think about. Peter smiled to himself, even though his face was aching from it by now. Less than a week ago, he had been a boy-evacuee running from bombing raids, and now! Now, he was a King, and – dare he even think it? Peter paused a moment, then ran to a corridor just leading off from the main throne room, where a long mirror ran throughout its length.

Once he was in front of the mirror, he stood and gazed at his reflection, trying to be objective. He hadn't grown at all – his face and hair were still the same, he was no taller or broader. His clothes were different obviously, but what else?

Peter took a deep breath and looked directly into his own eyes. Yes, there it was! His eyes held a different look – they were deeper, more thoughtful, more knowing. His whole face had a different expression – steadier, keener, and he stood straighter. Peter regarded himself without vanity, but with a profound sense of fulfilment.

He was a man now. There was no mistaking it.

Unconsciously, his hand rose to feel the crown still resting on his head. It was not a clumsy, heavy thing, but a light circlet that rested easily on his fair hair. Peter did not wear it lightly, however. He had been given the greatest responsibility that could ever be bestowed upon a man, and he vowed to shoulder it unceasingly until his sisters and brother were grown enough to bear its weight as well as its privilege. He had been appointed High King, and he knew then and there he would never rest whilst a duty remained undone.

That decided, Peter whirled round and went to visit his family, to make sure they were sleeping peacefully. After that, he thought he might go for a stroll down on the beach, and watch the sun rise in his new kingdom.

Lucy and Susan were both still sound asleep when he peeped into their bedchambers. Peter moved noiselessly between the rooms, and went equally softly to check on Edmund.

His brother lay with his back to the door, and Peter might have assumed that Edmund was sleeping also, had not the slight tremor of his shoulders and the merest of sighs told him otherwise. Peter paused in the doorway – should he call out to his younger brother and make sure everything was all right, or just let Ed go back to sleep? But then he heard a muffled sob, and all thoughts of leaving fled.

"Ed?" he whispered, stepping forward. Edmund sat up instantly, wiping furiously at his eyes.

"Peter! What are you doing here?" Edmund asked, rather gruffly, turning his face away from the light. "Haven't you been to bed yet?"

"No, I haven't been to bed – I decided to stay up all night." Peter strode forward, no longer bothering about whispering. "What's the matter, Ed? Did you have a nightmare?"

Edmund shook his head. "No, it wasn't a nightmare. It's – it's silly. Never mind it, Peter, just go and carry on with whatever you were doing."

Peter sighed deeply, and came to sit on the edge of his brother's bed. There was an open window overlooking the land towards the western woods that was open a little, and he felt a deliciously cool breeze playing over his face. He took in a deep breath before speaking. "Ed, you don't have to hide anything from me anymore. I thought that we'd sorted all that out after the battle. You can tell me anything."

Ed glanced over at Peter, encouraged, but then doubt seemed to flood his face, and he looked down, tears threatening. "No – all this is all wrong for me, Peter! It's just stupid! I can't be a _king _– I'm only eleven and not even tall for my age! Look at you – you're perfect! You look just right as a king and a general. I look – I must look ridiculous. Like a kid playing in the dressing up box ..." Edmund's voice trailed off, and the tears began falling.

Peter only hesitated a moment, and then reached up and took off his crown – he needed to be just Peter, Edmund's brother, in order to sort this out, instead of being High King Peter the Magnificent. He tossed the circlet on the bed, and reached over to pull Edmund into a hug. The younger boy resisted for a moment, but then suddenly clung to Peter for dear life.

"Stop all this foolishness," Peter murmured, rocking Edmund to and fro. "Aslan chose you to be a king, just as much as he chose me. And all those people, yesterday and this night – they want you for a king. No one else. So you're young, Ed – so what? You'll grow – and remember what they called you? The Just – King Edmund the Just! They wouldn't choose someone they didn't have faith in to rule. Aslan wouldn't. I wouldn't – I reckon that you're ready."

Edmund sniffled for a few moments, still hanging on to Peter. The older brother carried on rocking the younger, humming soothingly. Edmund's next words were so low that Peter almost missed them entirely.

"The dream I had – we were back in London," Edmund said softly.

Peter froze suddenly in comforting his younger brother. "What?" he asked, as urgently as he dared.

"We were back at home with Mum, and Dad had come home from the War," Edmund carried on, as though he hadn't heard. "And they promised to take us all to the seaside on holiday, and I wouldn't have to go back to that school. And later on you and I were going to stay in the country – just us boys – and ride horses. And I was so happy – and then I woke up. And it's stupid, Peter, because I'm in Narnia, and I love it here, but I remembered Mum and Dad, and we probably won't ever see them again, and I missed them, and then I realised I was just a kid and -"

"Stop," Peter interrupted, firmly but kindly. "Slow down, Ed. You're missing Mum and Dad?"

Edmund nodded, not trusting himself to speak again. Everyone was so joyful to be in Narnia, and he had to go and be the odd one out again … _Typical Edmund! Always being awkward_, he thought miserably.

"I miss them as well," Peter admitted, giving Edmund's shoulders a little squeeze. Edmund looked up in surprise. "Don't you believe I have feelings, Ed?" Peter asked wryly, and his younger brother blushed pink.

"No, it's not that," Edmund paused, and tried to explain. "It's just – well, all of you seemed so happy. And I'm happy too – it's just I thought of Mum and Dad tonight and that we won't ever see them again."

Peter remained silent for a few moments longer; still hold his younger brother, as he thought about what Edmund had said. The cool breeze returned, ruffling his hair like a gentle hand. And Peter felt great warmth well up in his heart as the memory of a great pair of golden eyes looking upon him returned – a certainty, that above all else, _all _of Aslan's family would be safe.

"But we will see them again, Ed," Peter said, so confidently that Edmund pulled out of Peter's hug to stare at his elder brother's face. Peter smiled at him, eyes dancing. "I just know we will. Maybe we'll go back to England someday, or perhaps Mum and Dad will find their way here. But I know that we haven't left them behind forever."

Edmund was quiet for an instant, before blurting out the obvious: "But _how_ do you know, Peter? How come you're so certain?"

Peter tugged Edmund back into the hug before replying. "When the girls and I first arrived at Aslan's camp, Aslan spoke to me about what I had to do – fighting the battle, and ruling Narnia. And I was saying about how I wasn't who he thought I was." Peter paused, allowing what he had just said to sink into Edmund's mind: that he wasn't the only one with doubts.

"And then Aslan asked me to consider what was being asked of me – because he wanted his family safe." Peter continued. "That means everyone in Narnia, Ed. Including you and me and the girls. And if we're part of this family, then it must follow that Mum and Dad are too. Part of this family we have to look after. So however long we're going to be away, it stands to reason that it's not forever."

Edmund went still suddenly, allowing his elder brother to rock him back and forth, soothingly, the way he used to when Edmund had been very small and had awoken from a bad dream. Through the window Peter could see the sky lightening from black to deep blue as dawn drew near. Edmund would be able to see some spectacular sunsets from his room in the days ahead.

"Peter?"

Peter glanced down at Edmund. "Yes, Ed?"

"Thanks."

Peter smiled. "Whenever you need me, Ed, I'll do my best to help. Just have a little faith."

That one little phrase was all it took. Suddenly something fell into place in Edmund's mind, something he hadn't quite been able to articulate, a leap he hadn't been able to make until now. Edmund had always been the doubter amongst his family … until now. "Have faith," he murmured, remembering a saying he had once heard: _faith is the bird that sings to the dawn while it is still dark. _Peter had nodded in agreement when told that - Edmund had merely rolled his eyes. He had never placed much faith in anything - save perhaps his father and Peter when they had been younger.

Maybe he needed to start doing so. Faith in Peter was a good beginning. Believing in Peter was easy, now he seemed so much older and wiser.

So why not have faith in himself and his family?

The pair remained still for a few minutes longer, Peter waiting, Edmund thoughtful, as the sky lightened further, and the cries of the seagulls became audible and the breeze thawed a little, bringing with it the promise of a beautiful day. Then Peter suddenly let go of Edmund and stood up, stretching himself. "Do you want to go riding Ed?" he asked.

"Riding?" Edmund replied, frowning a little in confusion.

"Yes – just the two of us," Peter said as he reached for his crown. "An early morning ride along the beach. We can watch the sun come up – for the very first time in Narnia!"

Edmund paused only for a second before grinning and leaping out of bed to get dressed.

And a few short minutes later, the two new Kings were cantering along the shoreline, as the newly-risen sun turned the water to gold.

_**Finis**_


End file.
